How It's Marketed
Until 1980 there were no TV ads, radio spots, or billboards for the Hess Toy Trucks—just newspaper ads and signs at the Hess gas stations for a well-made toy, battery included, sold for a great value.
Starting in 1980, Hess began releasing new TV commercials every year. Their variety and ingenuity made every spot a surprise. Marketing jingle history was changed forever in 1988 when Hess adapted a song by the ’60s group The Angels, “My Boyfriend’s Back.” The Hess jingle was: “The Hess Truck’s back and it’s better than ever!” That line got to the heart of the matter, the excitement around the arrival of a new great toy. Every year since, the jingle has been rearranged for the newest toy and commercial release.
In use for over the past 30 years, the Hess Truck’s Back jingle has become one of the longest running in TV advertising history! For many fans, the first airing of the TV commercial each year has become synonymous with the start of the Holiday season. And for many actors, the Hess Toy Truck commercial has been a boost to their resumes; with well-known actors such as John Goodman and Hayden Panettiere appearing in the commercials early in their careers.
The Hess Toy Truck marketing efforts continue to evolve and keep pace with the changing media landscape, including Facebook and Instagram pages plus an email newsletter that you can sign up in the footer of this page and an SMS alert you can subscribe to by texting “HESS” to 437788.

